Method and apparatus for automatically controlling processing



Feb. 26 1924o W. P. WHITE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY c'oNTRoLLING PROCESSING Filed June 25 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 26, 1924. 1,485,133

W. P. WHITE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING PROCESSING Filed June 25 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rwawtoz Patented Feb.. 26, i924.

WILLIAJ'tI P. WHITE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO ANCHOR. CAP AND CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOB. AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING PROCESSING.

Application led June 25,1921.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, 1WILLIAM P. VVI-Irrn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Methods and Apparatus for Automatically Controlling Processing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadl to a method and apparatus for preservmg food stuffs and the like and more particularly to a method and apparatus designed for controlling of pressures upon sealed containers which are being treated for the purpose of sterilization or cooking and is a continuation in part of my application Serial Number 288,725 now Patent No. 1,385,599n tiled Jan. 9th, 1918.

The principal object of the present invention is the method and apparatus for controlling pressures on the exterior of food packages being heat treated and wherein the minimum exterior pressure and also the maximum exterior pressure upon said packages is positively and automatically controlled by a specimen package functioning as the control operating means.

Another object of the present invention is the method and apparatus for controlling pressures on the exterior of food packages being heat treated and wherein the minimum exterior pressure and also the maximum exterior pressure upon said packages is lpositively and automatically controlled by a specimen commercial package functionin;r as the control operating means and without injuring the package by puncturing or modifying the samein any way.

A further object of the present invent-ion is a method and apparatus of the character .specifiedl and wherein a flexible lportion of a specimen commercial package is the determining factor for controlling maximum and minimum pressures exterior of the package during the processing operation.

it still further and important obje-ct of the Serial No. 480,442.

the present invention is a method and appa-- ratus utilizing a specimen commercial package to retain pressures under positive automatic control as to both minimum and maximum limits through the processing operation. I

Another object of the present invention is a method and apparatus for automatically controlling both maximum and minimum limits of external pressures necessary to substantially balance internal pressures developed inv food packages during heat treatment processing by utilizing the inward and' outward movements of a flexible portion of a specimen package as the dominating control for pressure control.

Other and further `objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification following by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and throughout which like characters are used to designate like parts.

Realizing that the present invention may be practiced in ways other than those herein specifically described and may be embodied in constructions other than those specifically herein illustrated it is desired that the disclosure herewith shall be understood as being illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Figure 1 is a more or less diavrammatical view illustrating portions of the construction in section and showing the general arrangement of one embodiment ofthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view of the control valve mechanism with the parts in normal or neutral position.

Figure 3 is a detail view illustrating the control valve operated to cause relief of excess pressure 'from Within the retort, or suitable container, in which packages are being processed.

Prior to the present invention it has been .customary to process food products by heat treatment in order to sterilize or cook the contents of the packages after the containers are sealed. ln heat treating of packages it was found that the internal pressure develof ed 'Within the food packages did not correspond to the temperature-pressure laws which governed temperature-pressure conditions oit steam or Water vapor. `Since steam :formed a convenient and economical means o supplying heat for processing this medium 'Was generally utilized lt Was found that sealed packages of food products would explode due to excess pressure which developed Within the food packageV itself during steam heat treatment. lt therefore became customary to provide food packages, such as tin cans, With a small vent opening so that during the cooking or processing the packages 'would vent automatically, thereby obviating bursting. This method Was undesirable :tor many reasons, some of which were that the 'food products Within the container escaped into the cooking retort and otherand more serious defects, were that an opening was provided through with deleterious or unsterilized matter might enter before the opening Was finally closed.4 lt Was subsequently 'found that While steam could not be utilized to establish the necessary exterior pressure for a given temperature, that the pressure could beobtained by compressed air and the steam could be utilized to supply heat.

In order to maintain correct pressures, tables of pressures were compiled for various food products and the pressure Avalves Were manipulated by hand with the operator observing pressure gages. This, While being an improvement, Was not entirely satisfactoryxbecause containers of similar products but of dillerent size behaved in different Ways and `the pressure conditions Within the packages were variable depending on the quickness of the heating or cooling of eachl one of the packages.

My co-pending application Serial Number 288,725 ltiled January 9, 1918, of which the present application is a continuation in part discloses and claims broadly the invention of utilizing a specimen package as the control memberl and in that application the utilization of the specimen package controls minimum pressure only and a safety valve is relied upon for controlling the maximum pressure.

and minimum pressuresv by utilizing a specimen commercial package as the basis tor pressure control. This enables the packages to be maintained at all times under positive automatic control wherein the pressures are kept very closely Within the necessary and required limits and Without special attention of an operator during the processing operation. @ne construction for carrying out the present invention may comprise an embodiment in which a pair ot' control valves are associated With a liexible portion of a specimen package, tor example the cover thereof, by means of valve stems resting on a exible portion. These valves and valve stems and connected parts are so arranged that if the flexible Wall of the package moves inwardly, as Would be the case Where the package is under excess pressure, one valve stem following the side Wall operates to relieve the pressure. lf, on the other hand, the flexible Wall moves outwardly, as would occur Where excess internal pressure de'- velops, the other valve stem operates its corresponding valve to admit fluid pressure externally to the package and balances the internal pressure in the package. This mechanism it Will be noted operates between narrow limits and continually maintains the package Within balanced pressures which at all times' retain the Walls of the package within safe limits.

Referring now to the drawings which more or less diagrammatically illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, a retort 1 is adapted to receive a plurality of food containers 2 Which'niay be arranged in suitable baskets or containers 4 having perforated sides in order to facilitate the circulation of heating mediums. This retort is equipped With suitable heating and pressure lines and for the purpose of the present invention it is unimportant Whether these enter singly or through suitable mixing apparatus as is old in the art. In order to diagrammatically illustrate the operation more clearly the pressure-temperature lines are illustrated as entering the retort separately, for example. the line 5 illustrates a' steam or temperature line and the line 6 illustrates air or pressure line. The temperature line preferably is under control of thermostat 7 which may be set by means of a suitable mechanism 8 for a predetermin d temperature. This mechanism 8 operates through a fluid motor control 9 which operates the valve 10 to admit steam into the retort 1 when the temperature thereof is less than the temperature for which the device 8 is set. The steam line 5 may also contain suitable hand valves such as at ll which are commonly used in the steam tting art wherever desired. The ressure line 6 which is connected with a suitable source of supply for compressed air is likewise under control of valve 12 which is operated by means of a fluid motor 14, the control for which will be referred to later. The air line may also be provided with a hand valve 15 to out off the air supply if desired. A safety valve 16 is provided to relieve the excessive pressure and is set at a point slightly higher than the' intended maximum working pressure. A suitable line 17 comprises an exhaust line and is under control of a valve 18 adapted to be operated by a iiuid motor operating device 19. This valve 18 is intended to be operated to maintain the maximum pressure at a predetermined point so therefore this line comprises a working outlet for excess pressure. After the processing is finished it is necessary that a package be cooled and this may be accomplished by opening the valve 20 in the line 21 which thereby admits cooling water to the spray ring 22 mounted in the heat retort and the packages are sprayed with cooling Water until the temperature is reduced as desired.

The control mechanism for the pressure line 6 and the outlet line 1'? is illustrated in detail in Figures 2 and 3. and comprises mechanism wherein the specimen package X may comprise a glass container or the like or a tin 'can but where a glass container is utilized it may be capped with a metallic cap Y. This specimen package X. in the form of device illustrated is mounted in a holder which comprises the end members 40 and 41 and connected by side members or bars 42. Upon. the screw 44, which is threaded in the end member 40,'is adjustably mounted a clamp carrier 45 in the form of a plate which may be screwed longi tudinally on the screw 44. The clamp carrier 45 carries clamp members 46 which are pliable or hinged so as to have movement toward and froni the axis of the device. They are provided with hook shaped ends 47 which comprise clamping devices adapted to engage over one end of the -specimen container. A follower. spring 43 is mounted on a platform member 48 carried by a screw 44 and this spring carries a pressure plate which is adapted to engage the opposite end of the specimen container in such manner that the spring forces the cap end or head of the container against the clamping ends A47. By adjustment of the members 48 and 45 the container may be suitably mounted in the device so thata further adjustment ofthe screw44 and the lend mem ber 48 moves the pliable Vhead of the container into proper adjustment withrelation to the control mechanism. The control mechanism in the form illustrated comprises a tubular stem member 49 which operatesia valve 50 which .controls the pressure line for the operation of the uid pressure motor 1.4 that o crates the valve 12. A

supplemental and independently movable .valve member 51 is mounted within the tueratin lthe motor19 that operates the outlet va ve 18. Both valves 5,0 and 52 control leads from a chamber 54 which is connected by means of a channel 55 and a suitable tube 56 may be 'led through the conduit 57 to supply fluid pressure such as air pressure sov that the chamber 54 is at all times su plied with compressed air. A conduit 58 1s controlled by the valvev 52 and is 4 Y suitably connected by tubing 59 with the valve operating mechanism 19 for the valve 18 and conduit 60 is controlled by the valve 50 andlis connected byv suitable tubing 61 *with the valve operator 14 for the valve 12., The valve 50 controls increase of" pressure and the valve 52 controls release of pressure while both are normally held seated y a spring 62. This spring permits the stem'51 to have movement independently of the valve 52 and the tubularl stem 49 operates to openthevalve 50. A suitable stop member which may be in the form of clamping nuts 64 is disposed at the upper end of the stem 51 for cooperation with the valve 52 in such fashion that the retraction of the stem 51 will unseat the valve 52 against the influence of the spring 62. A s ring 65 is disposed in cooperation with t e stem 51 in such manner as. to urge it toward the container and in the direction to unseat the exhaust valve 52. The spring 65 is superior to the spring 62 so that the seating of the valve 52 is dependent upon the spring 465 being held compressed by retention of the stem 51 in proper position. In the operation of this device the outer extremities ofthe stem 51 andv the tubular stem 49 are disposed for cooperation with the flexible portion Y of the container'X. The outer extremity of the stem 51 may contact with this iexible portion of the container and said stem 5 1 is thus retained in its inward position against the iniiuence of spring 65 by engagement with the cover Y.

In the event of movement of the flexible portion Y of the container from the internal pressure which may be developed during heat treatment, the stein 49 will be moved against the pressure of the spring 62' to open the line 60 with communication to the chamber 54 thereby admitting operating fluid pressure to the valve operator 14 through all;

the line 61 and opening the valve to admit additional fluid pressure such as condensed air, to the retort. This gradually increases the external pressure upon the package X and iiexes the cover Y inwardly so that the valve 50 closes and cuts off the operating liuid supply to the valve operator 111 thereby causing the 'valve 12 to close. lt being understood that the covers of the valve operating devices 9 and la are provided with vents, as is common in the art, so that when the luid supply is cut otl from these devices the mechanismoperates to close the valve with which 'the device is connected. If for any reason pressure within the retort becomes excessive as is a 'frequent occurrence, and causes undue inwardly movement of the Aflexible portion Y of the container X, such inward movement causes longitudinal outward movement ot' the stem 51 under the influence of spring in such manner that the check nuts 64 will cause the unseating of the valve 52. This permits transmission of the operating iiuid from the chamber 54 to the line 58 and through the conduit 59 to the valve controlling member 19 which causes the opening of the release valve 18 'thereby permitting the escape of pressure from the retort 1 until the internal pressure in the package X causes the liexible head Y to return to normal position at which the device was set and wherein the end of the stem 51 is substantially even with the end of the stem 49. This closes the valve 52 and by cutting oil operating fluid pressure of the valve operator 19 the outlet valve 18 is closed. lf for any reason excessive 'pressure should suddenly develop the safety valve 16 is relied upon to prevent accidents due to such high pressure.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the present device comprises a completely automatically controlled method and device whereby the pressure upon the packages is at all times maintained within required limits both as to minimum and maximum pressure and thereby prevents exploding of the package due to excessive internal pressure and crushing of the package due to excessive external pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

l. ln the art of preserving food products by applying heat in a closed retort to sealed food packages having flexible portions, the method of regulating external pressure on said packages which method comprises reducing the pressure in said retort when said llexible portions have moved inwardly 'beyond a predetermined limit.

2. ln the art of preserving food products by applying heat in a closed retort to sealed food packages having 'dexible portions, the method of regulating external pressure on nasales said packages which metlnidV comprises reducing the pressure in said retort when said flexible portions have moved inwardly beyond a predetermined limit, and stopping the reduction of pressure when the flexible portion has moved outwardly to a predeter-.

mined limit, and increasing the pressure when the flexible portion moves outwardly beyond said outer limit.

el. In the art of food preserving by heat treatment in a closed retort of sealed packages having flexible portions, the method of regulating the pressure lin said retort which comprises maintaining sullicient pressure to prevent said packages from bursting, and relieving said pressure when the flexible portions have moved inwardly heyond a predetermined limit.

5. ln the art oit' food preserving by heat treatment'in a closed retort of sealed packages having flexible portions, the method of controlling pressure within said retort which method comprises utilizing the movement of the flexible portion of one of said packages to release pressure from said retort when said pressure exceeds a predetermined limit.

6. In the art of food preserving by heat treatment in a closed retort of sealed packages having flexible portions, the method oi controlling pressure within said retort which method comprises utilizing the movement of the llexible portion oi" one of said packages to release pressure 'from said retort when said pressure exceeds a predetermined limit, and utilizing the lsame portion to control admission of pressure to the retort when the pressure drops below a predetermined limit.

7. An apparatus for preserving Afoods by heat treament of sealed packages comprising in combination a closed retort, means to supply fluid pressure to said retort, means to release `fluid pressure from said retort, and devices operable by a portion of a specimen package to operate the means to supply pressure when the pressure inthe retort is less than the pressure within the package, and to operate the means to release pressure when the pressure in rthe retort is greater' than the pressure in the specimen package.

8. An apparatus for preserving foods by heat treatment ci sealed packages comprisnasales ing in combination a closed retort, means to release Huid pressure from said retort, and devices operable by a portion of a specimen package to operate the .means to supply pressure when the pressure in the retort is less than the pressure Within the package, and to operate the means to release pressure when the pressure in the retort is greater than the pressure in the specimen package.

9. An apparatus for preserving foods by heat treament of sealed packages comprising in combination a closed retort, means to supply fluid pressure t0 said retort, means to release `fluid pressure from said retort, and devices operable by a portion or a specimen package to operate the means to release pressure when` the pressure in the retort is greater than the pressure in the specimen package.

10. An apparatus for preservingfoods by heat treatment of sealed packages comprising in combination a closed retort, means to release Huid pressure from said retort, and devices operable by a portion of a specimen package to operate the means to release pressure When the pressure in the retort is greater than the pressure in the specimen package.

11. In a device for heat treatment of sealed food packages the combination of a closed retort, a specimen package mounted. Within said closed retort, a pipe line adapted to admit Huid pressure to said retort, a motor valve lin said pipe line, means to release pressure 'from said retort, and means associated With said specimen package to operate the motor valve to admit pressure to the retort when the pressure in the retort is less than the pressure in the specimen package and to operate said means to release pressure from the retort when the pressure in the retort exceeds the pressure in the 'specimen package.

12. ln a device for heat treatment of sealed food packages the combination of a closed retort, a specimen package mounted Within said closed retort, means to release pressure 'from said retort, and means associated with said specimen package to operate the motor valve 'to admit pressure to the retort when the pressure in the retort is less than the pressure in the specimen package and to operate said means to release pressure from the retort when the pressure in the retort exceeds the pressure in the specimen package.

13. In a devicev for heat treatment of sealed food packages the combination of a closed retort, a specimen package mounted Within said closed retort, a pipeline adapted to -admit lluid pressure tosaid retort, a motor valve in said pipe line, means to release pressure from said retort, and means associated with said specimen package to operate the motor valve to operate said means to release pressure from the retort when the pressure in the retort exceeds the pressure in the specimen package.

14. 1n a device for heat treatment of sealed' food packages mounted within said closed retort, a specimen package mounted within said closed retort, means to release presspre from said reto-rt, and means associated with said specimen package to operate the motor valve to operate said means to release pressure from .theretort when the pressure in the retort exceeds the pressure in the specimen package.

15. An apparatus for heat treatment o sealed food packages comprising in combination a closed'retort, a motor valve controlling inlet of fluid under pressure to the retort, another motor valve controlling outlet of fluid pressure from said retort, a specimen sealed package having a flexible Wall and mounted Within said retort, a valve member operatively connected with. said iexible wall and adapted to control the first mentioned motor valve, and the secondk valve member operatively connected With said iexible Wall and adapted to control the second mentioned motor valve.

'16. An apparatus for heat treatment of sealed food packages comprising in combination a -closed retort, a motor valve controlling inlet of iuid under pressure to the retort, another motor valve controlling outlet of fluid pressure from said retort, a

specimen sealed package having a flexible Wall and mounted Within said retort, a valve member having the valve stem thereof operatively connected with said flexible Wall and adapted to control the first mentioned motor valve, and the second valve member also having a valve stem operatively connected with said lexible Wall and adapted to control the second mentioned motor valve, the stems of said valves being concentrically arranged.

17. An apparatus for heat treatment of sealed food packages comprising in combination a closed retort, a. motor valve controlling inlet of 'fluid under pressure to 'the retort, another motor valve controlling outlet of iuid pressure from. said retort, a specimen sealed package having a flexible Wall and mounted Within said retort, a valve member operatively connected Vwith said package and adapted "to control the rst mentioned motor valve, and the second valve member operatively connected with said package and adapted to control the second mentioned motor valve.

18. An apparatus for heat treatment of lsealed food packages comprising in combination a closed retort, a motor valve controlling inlet of fluid under pressure to 'the retort, another motor valve controllmg outlei; of uid presue from said retort a specimen sealed. package having a xbls Wal. and mountef Within said ewr, a Vahr@ member having the mve sem. therenf Oper atvely' connecd with said package an@ adap i@ con'fol the first mentioned. meter valve, and h@ second valve member ais@ having a valve stem opemvely connecsd, with said package and adapted to Comm): the second mentioned motor vave, th@ sms www@ of said Valve being concentcaly arranged..

19., En ish@ arf; 03E food; peservng by heu treatment of sanded conzaneo in dosed mmm@ the method which comprsesf supplying; heat and Huid pressure to the 'ewri. la

are-am be ackages,I ami automalca ily controing bom the maximum, and minimum. pzessures in the reor; 39 prevent burstng of said Dackgs during treatmnt WLLAM P. WHTE. 

